Facebook is separating its tablet experience from its smartphone experience. The company announced on Monday that the latest update to its iPad app includes a new look: when the app is used in landscape mode, a new column now pops up to provide information that mirrors the Facebook web browser experience.
According to the company, the new column is inspired by what it says are the primary functions of tablet use: read news, watch videos and play games. The column appears on the righthand side of the screen, provides birthday and event information as well as a “Trending” column — a feature that debuted on the web experience in January. Additionally, the column displays trending videos and offers “My Games,” a section that allows users to easily access Facebook games. According to the company, more than 70 percent of people who use Facebook for iPad have played a game in the past 90 days.
The decision to put games front and center for the tablet does more than differentiate the app from both the mobile and desktop version it also opens the door for the company to roll out ads.
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